Massachusetts Broadband Institute Notice of Funding Availability Through the Flexible Grant Program

NOFA No. 2018–MBI–01

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (“MassTech”), on behalf of the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (“MBI”), is issuing this public notice of funding availability (“NOFA”) through the targeted Flexible Grant Program (“FGP”) (NOFA No. 2018-MBI-01). The FGP will support Last Mile broadband connectivity for certain towns in western Massachusetts that express an interest in being included in this NOFA for the purpose of considering proposals offered by private broadband providers (“Town(s)”). MBI is publicly posting the NOFA and will also distribute the NOFA directly to the Last Mile towns in western Massachusetts that are still evaluating broadband connectivity options. MBI will publish and periodically update, as necessary, an addendum to this NOFA that lists the Last Mile towns in western Massachusetts that opt in to participate in the FGP (“Last Mile Town Addendum”).

The goal of the FGP is to provide grant funding to capable communications network companies (“Provider(s)”) willing to design, build, own, operate and maintain a communications network in one or more of the Towns that will provide residents with broadband internet access that meets or exceeds the current Federal Communications broadband benchmark of 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload speeds (the “Broadband Project”). The FGP seeks creative, flexible solutions to meet this critical challenge.

The FGP is intended to serve as an open, rolling solicitation for innovative approaches that will permit MBI and the Towns to establish partnerships with Providers to deliver reliable broadband access on a long term basis to as many residents as possible based on available public funds.

Full details on this procurement are included in the downloadable PDF available below.